Jack was living in Arizona during a heat wave when the following took place.
"It"s just too hot to wear clothes today," complained Jack as he stepped out of the shower. "Honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?"
"Probably that I married you for your money."
n. - (often attrib.) Chequered or tartan, esp. Woollen, twilled cloth (plaid skirt).
- long piece of this worn over the shoulder in highland scottish costume. [gaelic]
PLAIN
chocolate n. Dark chocolate without added milk.
- clothes n.pl. Ordinary clothes, not uniform (plain-clothes police).
- dealing n. Candour; straightforwardness.
- flour n. Flour containing no raising agent.
- sailing n. Uncomplicated situation or course of action.
- —adj. - clear, evident.
- readily understood, simple.
- (of food, decoration, etc.) Simple.
- not beautiful or distinguished-looking.
- outspoken; straightforward.
- unsophisticated; not luxurious (a plain man; plain living). —adv. - clearly.
- simply. —n. - level tract of country.
- basic knitting stitch. plainly adv. Plainness n. [latin planus]
PLAIT
—n. Length of hair, straw, etc., in three or more interlaced strands. —v. - weave (hair etc.) Into a plait.
- make by interlacing strands (plaited belt). [french pleit from latin plico fold]
PLANE
—n. - flat surface such that a straight line joining any two points on it lies wholly in it.
- level surface.
- colloq. = *aeroplane.
- flat surface producing lift by the action of air or water over and under it (usu. In comb.: hydroplane).
- (often foll. By of) level of attainment, knowledge, etc. —adj. - (of a surface etc.) Perfectly level.
- (of an angle, figure, etc.) Lying in a plane. —v. (-ning) glide. [latin planus *plain]
- —n. Tool for smoothing a usu. Wooden surface by paring shavings from it. —v. (-ning) 1 smooth with a plane.
- (often foll. By away, down) pare with a plane. [latin: related to *plane1]
- n. Tall tree with maple-like leaves and bark which peels in uneven patches. [greek platanos]
PLANK
—n. - long flat piece of timber.
- item in a political or other programme. —v. - provide or cover with planks.
- (usu. Foll. By down) colloq. A put down or deposit roughly or violently. B pay (money) on the spot. walk the plank hist. Be made to walk blindfold along a plank over the side of a ship to one's death in the sea. [latin planca]
PLANT
—n. - a organism usu. Containing chlorophyll enabling it to live wholly on inorganic substances, and lacking the power of voluntary movement. B small organism of this kind, as distinguished from a shrub or tree.
- a machinery, fixtures, etc., used in industry. B factory.
- colloq. Something deliberately placed so as to incriminate another. —v. - place (seeds, plants, etc.) In soil for growing.
- (often foll. By in, on, etc.) Put or fix in position.
- (often refl.) Station (a person etc.), esp. As a spy.
- cause (an idea etc.) To be established, esp. In another person's mind.
- deliver (a blow, kiss, etc.) With a deliberate aim.
- colloq. Place (something incriminating) for later discovery. plant out transfer from a pot or frame to the open ground; set out (seedlings) at intervals. plantlike adj. [latin planta]
PLATE
glass n. Thick fine-quality glass for shop windows etc.
- tectonics n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of the earth's surface based on the concept of moving ‘plates’ (see sense 11 of *plate) forming its structure.
- —n. - a shallow usu. Circular vessel from which food is eaten or served. B contents of this.
- similar vessel used for a collection in church etc.
- (collect.) A utensils of silver, gold, or other metal. B objects of plated metal.
- piece of metal with a name or inscription for affixing to a door etc.
- illustration on special paper in a book.
- thin sheet of metal, glass, etc., coated with a sensitive film for photography.
- flat thin usu. Rigid sheet of metal etc., often as part of a mechanism.
- a smooth piece of metal etc. For engraving. B impression from this.
- a silver or gold cup as a prize for a horse-race etc. B race with this as a prize. 10 a thin piece of plastic material, moulded to the shape of the mouth, on which artificial teeth are mounted. B colloq. Denture. 11 each of several rigid sheets of rock thought to form the earth's outer crust. 12 thin flat organic structure or formation. —v. (-ting) 1 apply a thin coat esp. Of silver, gold, or tin to (another metal).
- cover (esp. A ship) with plates of metal, for protection. on a plate colloq. Available with little trouble to the recipient. On one's plate colloq. For one to deal with. plateful n. (pl. -s). [latin platta from plattus flat]
PLEAD
v. - (foll. By with) make an earnest appeal to.
- (of an advocate) address a lawcourt.
- maintain (a cause) in a lawcourt.
- (foll. By guilty or not guilty) declare oneself to be guilty or not guilty of a charge.
- allege as an excuse (plead insanity).
- (often as pleading adj.) Make an appeal or entreaty (in a pleading voice). [anglo-french pleder: related to *plea]
PLEAT
—n. Fold or crease, esp. A flattened fold in cloth doubled upon itself. —v. Make a pleat or pleats in. [from *plait]
PLONK
—v. - set down hurriedly or clumsily.
- (usu. Foll. By down) set down firmly. —n. Heavy thud. [imitative]
- n. Colloq. Cheap or inferior wine. [origin unknown]
